


Against the Stars

by tinkerklang



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Minor Character Death, Romance, Royalty, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 09:54:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15883686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinkerklang/pseuds/tinkerklang
Summary: Baekhyun, a Lumen tribe orphan and the best archer of the kingdom of Ignis, was the child of prophecy – foretold to be the harbinger of death – while Chanyeol, the Ignis prince, was forewarned to be betrayed by ‘a brave man with an arrow.’





	1. initium: somnum exterreri

**Author's Note:**

> i'm trying to improve my world building and i thought of writing a royal au with chanyeol as the prince and baekhyun as his ever loyal aide

_initium:_

_somnum exterreri_

 

Five-year-old Baekhyun’s eyes were bloodshot. They were unblinking, devoid of any emotions. The red hood he was wearing was stark against his pale skin and his blond, almost silver, hair. Splats of crimson blood decorated his cheeks, oddly complementing the red hood he was wearing. His right hand was holding tightly onto the hand of the leader of the _Ignis_ soldiers. The leader, after the massacre of Baekhyun’s small tribe _Lumen,_ brought the orphaned to the palace.

 

“Baekhyun, this is the _Ignis_ castle,” the leader said to him. “The King and Queen wishes to see you.”

 

The castle was grand – it was bigger than Baekhyun had expected. Phoenix statues littered the castle. It was the family’s crest. _Ignis_ used to be a small power, subdued and under a much powerful kingdom. However, they became one of the most powerful kingdom in the _Gaia_ – if not the most powerful – because of the family that currently holds the throne.

 

“Why?” Baekhyun asked in a small but firm voice.

 

“They have something to tell you,” the troop leader answered.

 

Baekhyun did not ask further. _Ignis_ soldiers were a man of few words. They were always silent – never giving out vital information. They were extremely loyal to the King of _Ignis._ Baekhyun had heard that _Ignis_ soldiers who betrayed their oath of loyalty to the king were killed, their tongues cut off and displayed in the prison chambers below the majestic castle.

 

They entered the receiving room. It was the King and Queen’s throne room. Soldiers lined the double doors. Their eyes follow every moving creature, but the rest of their bodies remained unmoving. Upon seeing the troop leader, the soldiers greeted him with a synchronized salute and opened the doors for him.

 

The room was grand. There were even more soldiers inside the room. The King and Queen were seated at the center. It was the first time Baekhyun was seeing both in such a short distance. He had always attended the kingdom’s festivals wherein everyone has the chance to lay their eyes upon the two royals who had transformed their kingdom into what it was today.

 

The King looked older than Baekhyun could remember, perhaps the responsibilities of running the most powerful kingdom was wearing him down. The Queen had always had that soft motherly look. She was looking at Baekhyun with empathy.

 

The troop leader bowed at the two after saying his greeting. Baekhyun following the same.

 

“Raise your head, boy,” the King ordered.

 

“Can you please remove your hood?” The Queen gently requested.

 

Baekhyun followed the orders and let his hood down, revealing his silky hair, making the queen gasp at the sight. People of _Lumen_ were known for their odd appearance. Their skin was pale and their hair were blond, almost silver. When the sun shines upon them, they emit this ethereality. _Lumen_ was a small tribe under the rule of the _Ignis_ kingdom. Baekhyun’s people were small in number and they live a solitary life up in the mountains. It was rare for the common people of the kingdom to see them. Usually, some _Lumen_ would go down to the town but they would always hide their hair with hoods to not attract attention.

 

“Oh, my child,” the Queen said upon noticing the splashes of crimson liquid staining Baekhyun’s cheeks. “What a nightmare it must have been for you!”

 

It was midnight when _Lumen_ was attacked. Baekhyun was sleeping beside his mother inside their cot when he heard the hubbub of terror that befalls upon them. He could remember his father grabbing his bow and arrow, preparing to attack. He could remember his mother quickly carrying him and hiding him in the safe space that his father had built for him. It was a small hole in the ground, just enough for his tiny body. The place was inside their cot and it was hidden well from untrained eyes. Baekhyun’s father was _Lumen’s_ best strategist – _Lumen’s_ tribe leader.

 

Baekhyun could remember his mother and father kissing him – his mother crying profusely while softly reminding him to lock the flap of the hole and never to go out. Baekhyun saw his mother grabbing her own bow and arrow hanging on the wall of their cot. The last things Baekhyun heard were quick footsteps, the sound of the blade of a sword cutting through flesh, the swish of an arrow, and the sound of blood leaking, dripping, from the crevices of the flap of his dugout onto his cheeks.

 

A few more minutes passed when he heard the _Ignis_ troop leader sweeping through the _Lumen_ territory for survivors. Baekhyun opened the flap covering of his dugout and saw both the bodies of his parents lying near the dugout – seemingly protecting that place. Their blood gushing through the floor towards where the dugout was. Baekhyun sobbed, his hands reaching out to touch the blood on his cheeks – the blood of his parents, and etched the picture of his parents lying on the floor in his memory.

 

“Baekhyun,” the King declared, cutting Baekhyun off from remembering the horrible memory. The King stood up, walking towards Baekhyun, kneeling down to see the child on eye level.

 

“Please forgive your King for not being able to protect your family,” the King bowed while kneeling, showing his sincerity. “I won’t be able to bring back your tribe, but I could help you rebuild it.”

 

The King never bows down to anyone.

 

It was the first time that the King of _Ignis_ bowed to someone else.

 

Baekhyun nodded.

 

“I welcome you to my family, Baekhyun,” the King continued. “You lost your family, but I hope we could give you another one. From today onwards, you will live in my palace and enjoy whatever the son of the King of _Ignis_ enjoys. The Queen is your mother. The King is your father.”

 

“Thank you,” Baekhyun answered.

 

“Let the maids prepare Baekhyun’s quarters. Prepare a warm bath for the child,” the Queen ordered. “Baekhyun, tomorrow, you will meet my son, Chanyeol. He’s almost the same age as you. I hope you both will get along.”

 

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will try to finish everything by this week. the story would probably be long (around 30k to 50k words? or even more).  
> comments are well-appreciated. they make me want to continue writing more.


	2. secundus: iuventus

_secundus:_

_iuventus_

 

The young prince, Chanyeol, did not like him – not even a bit.

 

Baekhyun could feel the young prince’s resentful look thrown directly at the orphan. However, he understood the young prince’s heart. Baekhyun knew that the prince was jealous of the attention that he was getting from the King and Queen.

 

Their first meeting did not go well.

 

During Baekhyun’s first night in the palace, he had a terrible nightmare of the massacre. He woke up, thrashing his bed, screaming for help. The _Ignis_ guards promptly notified the King and Queen. Baekhyun was only subdued when the Queen started stroking his hair. The King suggested that Baekhyun sleep in their chamber. According to the palace physicians, it would help the orphan cope up by constantly being in presence of two parental figures.

 

Young Prince Chanyeol, that morning after hearing that he has a new playmate, barged into his parents’ chambers to ask his parents if the rumors were true, but saw little Baekhyun lying between his father and his mother. It was only recently that the young prince was disallowed to sleep beside his parents. The palace elders told him that he was too old to be still sleeping beside his parents. Chanyeol felt betrayed.

 

Coupled with the constant supervision that Baekhyun gets from the prince’s parents, Chanyeol’s jealousy grew even bigger. The Queen had an eye on Baekhyun who was having regular coping therapy, thus the prince’s mother had always accompanied Baekhyun during his sessions. This irked the young prince even further.

 

However, Baekhyun understood. His circumstances were not revealed to Chanyeol. All Chanyeol knew was that he was a young orphan brought into the castle. The prince did not know that Baekhyun’s tribe was murdered and that he was struggling with the loss.

 

Now at eight-years-old, Baekhyun was better. He had been attending private lessons with the Prince. He still had nightmares, but not very often. Chanyeol had been civil with him, but they were not really friends. While Chanyeol was learning about simple politics, Baekhyun had been under the _Ignis_ troop leader’s guidance. He had been learning how to shoot arrows – something that people of _Lumen_ were best at. _Lumen_ were known to be the best archers in the _Gaia_ – the world.

 

“Your Majesty, look at the way Baekhyun rides his horse. He is really good at it,” their horse riding trainer told the two young boys.

 

Baekhyun smirked at Chanyeol. Sometimes, he liked to rile up the prince. Chanyeol was competitive. He exerted a lot of effort to top Baekhyun’s skills and accomplishments. Baekhyun could just chuckle at the prince. He would do anything to make the prince improve – he promised the Queen.

 

_“Please, Baekhyun. Always stay beside Chanyeol. That child of mine is a lonely child.”_

 

Chanyeol just harrumphed and whipped his horse a little harder, making _Knight_ , the prince’s black horse, bolt faster. Baekhyun just chuckled and gently caressed _Moon_ ’s mane. _Moon_ was Baekhyun’s own horse. He was white – almost as white as Baekhyun’s hair – making him complement his owner.

 

That was how their class ended that day. Their trainer requested them to take their horses back to the stable. According to the trainer, taking care of your own horse could help in establishing a relationship – making their horses more loyal to their orders. Knight and Moon were siblings and both were still young horses, perfect for the two young boys’ heights. The two horses stayed at the same stable.

 

Feeding and bathing the horses were done by Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Everyt time this happens, the two would always bicker. It would start with the prince _unintendedly_ splashing Baekhyun with water. It would always lead to a full water war and the two boys would often get scolded by their horse trainer.

 

That afternoon, the sun was about to set when their horse riding class had ended. Chanyeol was silently wiping Knight’s mane. Baekhyun was surprised that the young prince did not attempt anything that day. Their chore of taking care of their own horses was done in comfortable silence.

 

It was then that Baekhyun heard the stable doors being shut locked. Baekhyun panicked.

 

“Wait!” He shouted, but his screaming was not heard. He tried opening the door but it would not budge. Only people outside could unlock the huge doors. Baekhyun tried hard to keep his composure, but the biting fear was starting to creep on him.

 

Darkness enveloped them. The sun had already set. The stable boy must have had not known that the prince and Baekhyun were still inside the huge stable. It was dark… as dark as the dugout.

 

It was all coming back: _the dark dugout, his parents kissing him goodbye, the sounds of footsteps… of arrows swishing… of sword blades cutting through warm flesh… the smell of blood dripping onto his cheeks – the smell and sound of death._

_“Don’t get out of the dugout, Baekhyun. Baekhyunnie’s a good boy. Mother and father love you very much. Close your eyes and hum your favorite tune. You remember the tune, right? Mother taught it to you.”_

_Baekhyun’s mother was softly stroking his hair, trying to calm him down._

 

Chanyeol saw Baekhyun stopped. Chanyeol could feel the atmosphere changed. Baekhyun had always been bright and happy. However, he was seeing a different picture. The young prince grabbed the orphan’s shoulder to turn him around and gasped at the sight.

 

Baekhyun’s eyes were wide, his pupils shaking. His whole body was stiff and trembling. Something was wrong with Baekhyun.

 

“Baekhyun?” Chanyeol asked worriedly.

 

He did not get a response. He tried shaking the orphan, but he was still unresponsive. It was as if Baekhyun was in a trance. Chanyeol began to panic. The prince knocked hard on the wooden doors, never minding if his knuckles were already bruised and bleeding, and screamed for help. Baekhyun looked like he was in a shock. Chanyeol had to act fast. It was the first time he saw Baekhyun like this. The prince certainly knew that something was wrong.

 

And then Chanyeol remembered their first meeting… and the succeeding meetings when Baekhyun was new to the palace. At night, Baekhyun would go to his parents’ chambers. Upon the cracks of the doors, Chanyeol would spy on the three and he would see his mother calmly stroking Baekhyun’s blond hair, humming a soothing tune. The lights were never turned off. His parents loved sleeping in the darkness. However, when Baekhyun was in their chambers, the lights were always on even if it was already time for sleeping.

 

 _Could it be…?_ Chanyeol thought.

 

The young prince lifted his hand and softly stroked Baekhyun’s hair. The trembling boy stilled. Chanyeol continued gently caressing the boy’s hair. Baekhyun closed his eyes and leaned to the touch. Chanyeol pulled the young boy closer, guiding him to sit down on the floor. Once Baekhyun totally stopped shivering, Chanyeol held the boy’s hand tightly, transferring some warmth onto the cold and pale palm.

 

Baekhyun’s head leaned onto Chanyeol’s shoulders. Chanyeol hummed the tune he had heard a dozen times in his parents’ chambers. Soon enough, Baekhyun was sleeping soundly.

 

That day, everything between Baekhyun and Chanyeol changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the chapter titles are in latin (if anyone is wondering)


	3. Chapter 3

_tertius:_

_oraculum_

Ever since that one night at the _Ignis_ palace’s stable, Baekhyun and Chanyeol were always together. Chanyeol finally learned about Baekhyun and what he had experienced. The prince had apologized and requested that they start over again.

 

They became friends quickly. Sharing some classes together, it was inevitable that they would do everything together, which drove their educators crazy. The two were naughty, always stirring up some trouble in different parts of the palace.

 

Once, they worried everyone in the palace when they went missing. The two were found in the forest, having their own campfire, eating severely burnt marshmallows. Sometimes, the two would also race each other using their horses. It almost gave their trainer a heart attack when the young prince broke his arm when he fell off of Knight.

 

The Queen was greatly worried about the upbringing of the two boys who were now adolescents, fourteen-year-olds. The King just laughed it off.

 

_“My dear, they are young boys. I had my own fair share of mischievous acts. Let them be. That’s how young people are.”_

Now, the two were planning on going to the town where the festival was taking place. They heard that a caravan from a faraway land was coming. Chanyeol suggested the idea. Baekhyun approved it. They wanted to buy trinkets. The King and Queen would not allow them even if they ask for permission. Currently, there was a hostile uprising against _Ignis._ It would not be safe for the young prince to be seen at public.

 

Baekhyun stole townsfolk clothing from Sehun, the son of the _Ignis_ troop leader who saved Baekhyun on that horrible night. When they were younger, Baekhyun and Chanyeol almost had the same height.

 

Now that they were older, Chanyeol grew at an exponential rate. Baekhyun thought that it worked against Chanyeol. The taller prince was clumsy, not able to control his limbs well. Baekhyun on the other hand, although short, was nimble and agile. He had been training under the guidance of Sehun’s father. Baekhyun was on his way to be _Ignis’_ best archer. Baekhyun also received the highest honors for mastering a kind of Ignis martial arts.

 

“Why do we need to wear hoods, Hyun-ah?” Chanyeol complained. It was the peak of summer. Wearing hood on top of folk clothing would probably kill him.

 

“I need to conceal my hair, _Your Majesty_ ,” Baekhyun grinned. “My hair is special, you know?”

 

“Well…” Chanyeol cleared his throat. “It is, indeed, of a beautiful shade. It glimmers under the sun.”

 

“Right?!” Baekhyun excited said. “That’s why we need to cover my hair. It attracts attention.”

 

After convincing the prince to wear a hood, the two sneaked out of the palace. Chanyeol knew all the secret passages of the _Ignis_ castle. The young prince navigated better than Baekhyun. Sometimes, Baekhyun loses his sense of direction. They reached the town proper in no time. Baekhyun smiled at the sight. He could remember the days when he went to town with his parents during festivals. He had greatly enjoyed their time together.

 

There was a lot of people. Baekhyun turned around and saw the prince being engulfed in a sea of people, his hands sticking out waving while trying to call for Baekhyun’s name. Baekhyun chuckled. He navigated through the stream of people and reached the young prince.

 

“Yeol-ah, if you don’t walk fast enough, I might lose you. Here, hold my hand,” Baekhyun offered, not noticing the soft blush on Chanyeol’s cheeks.

 

 _If only all the princesses from other lands knew how clumsy the young Ignis Prince really is._ Baekhyun always thought. His friend, Chanyeol, was well known among the noble ladies of the _Gaia._ Chanyeol was tall and had a commanding, yet regal, presence even at a young age. Everytime there was a party at the _Ignis_ palace, the prince would always be swarmed by ladies from other kingdoms.

 

Chanyeol’s curly hair was black… as black as Knight. His eyes were adorably shaped. His smile was a killer. Ladies would swoon whenever the _Ignis_ prince showed his cute dimples.

 

The prince reached for Baekhyun hand. They walked hand in hand as they passed by the different stalls. They stopped at some to buy unique trinkets. They also tried folk food. It was the first time that Chanyeol was trying food that was sold on the street. In the palace, his food was always prepared by the palace cooks – the best chefs in the kingdom. Before even putting any food in his tongue, someone would taste it first to check if it was poisoned. To increase the _Ignis_ prince’s resistance to poison, Chanyeol would sometimes ingest small amounts of poison.

 

“The King would be mad if he knew I let you eat street food,” Baekhyun commented. “Let’s keep this a secret shall we? I would love to keep my head on my shoulders.”

 

“Don’t be like that, Hyun,” Chanyeol said. “My father loves you. He would not do that to you.”

 

“You’re right,” Baekhyun chuckled. “Sometimes, I think that the King loves me more than he loves you. I remember you being a sour grape over that when we were younger.”

 

“Let’s not talk about that embarrassing part,” Chanyeol laughed, his dimples showing.

 

“Hey, you two young boys!”

 

The two turned around and saw an old woman emerging from a stall. A layer of cloth was draped in front of the stall, hence the two were not able to see what was inside the stall. Baekhyun was warry. The stall was set up in an inconspicuous space – somewhere where the number of people is minimal. The strange stall, which was dark, was almost hidden from the people.

 

“I’m an ancient seer. I can see your future by looking at the palms of your hands. Want to try?”

 

“I’m sorry, but we have to go,” Baekhyun politely declined. He tugged Chanyeol’s hand but the latter would not budge.

 

“Aw, come on, Hyun. It would do us no harm. I want to know my future.”

 

Before Baekhyun could even stop Chanyeol, the young prince was already heading inside the dark stall. Baekhyun swore Chanyeol would be the death of him someday. If the King knew what they were up to, they were dead meat. Baekhyun quickly scoured the place. He took note of possible exits and possible weapons to wield just in case. Sometimes, Chanyeol was too trusting.

 

Baekhyun followed the prince inside. The old woman who was wearing dark purple robes extended her hand, asking for Chanyeol’s palm. The prince extended his and the old woman began reading his palm. Her eyes were intently looking at the palm of the prince. Her forehead was creased. She sighed, drawing the pattern of the lines of the prince’s palm. The old seer closed her eyes and started chanting.

 

> _“Yet each man kills the thing he loves_   
>  _By each let this be heard_   
>  _Some do it with a bitter look_   
>  _Some with a flattering word_   
>  _The coward does it with a kiss_   
>  _The brave man with… **an arrow.** ” _

“What?” Chanyeol asked confusedly. “I don’t understand.”

 

He knew that passage well. It was a passage written by _Wilde,_ a popular writer. It was about betrayal. However, the last line was altered by the old woman. It was supposed to be _‘the brave man with a sword.’_ The sword was swapped with an arrow. Chanyeol looked at Baekhyun in bewilderment. Baekhyun just shrugged his shoulders, not understanding with the old seer was trying to convey.

 

> _“A trusting heart_
> 
> _is a weak heart…_
> 
> _is a doomed heart.”_

“I think that’s enough,” Baekhyun said as he pulled Chanyeol’s hand from the old seer.

 

The old seer looked at Baekhyun and smiled, suddenly grabbing Baekhyun’s own hand. The old seer closed her eyes and started chanting again.

 

> _“The child of the prophecy_
> 
> _the harbinger of **death** —_
> 
> _The sound of swishing arrows_
> 
> _the sound of blood dripping –_
> 
> _the smell of **death**.”_

Baekhyun harshly pulled his hand. “That’s enough!”

 

The old seer just smiled solemnly at them. “Everything I say whenever I read someone’s stars is forgotten immediately. Looking at both of your expressions, I am guessing I had said shocking predictions.”

 

“We will promptly take our leave,” Baekhyun bowed at the seer, pulling the prince with him.

 

As soon as they walked out of the seer’s stall, four people were waiting for them. Baekhyun sensed danger. Before he could even move, a fist knocked him unconscious.

 

The last thing Baekhyun remembered was the old seer’s voice.

 

_“…child of prophecy… harbinger of death”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the chapter lengths are uneven. i'm sorry.


End file.
